Discovering new
careers & possibilities
Meet the North Island’s
first Professional Cook
Red Seal graduates.

WWW.NIC.BC.CA

COMOX VALLEY

5

University-bound
students on their way
Learn how two students
found unique paths to
university through NIC.

PORT ALBERNI

7

MOUNT WADDINGTON 9
IN COMMUNITY

11

MOVING FORWARD
WITH YOU
“Now, more than ever,
we are unified under a
common goal to expand
partnerships, programs,
and pathways that serve
the unique education
and training needs of
our communities.”
Through these pages,
we are proud to share key
highlights from the year.

Dr. Jan Lindsay, NIC President

Q & A:
How was the
strategic plan developed?
In its development stage, North Island College’s 2011-2015 Strategic Plan,
titled Participation, Partnership and Pathways, brought together hundreds
of elected officials, agencies, service providers, and industry partners as well
as school districts, students, and parents from across the region. The goal was
always to capture our communities’ dreams and aspirations, and develop
them into six strategic directions that shape our future.
Now in the second year of our plan, we are seeing tangible results
as we continue to work with our communities to bring our vision to life.

What are the strategic directions?
As a publicly funded college, we are dedicated to providing relevant
education, from upgrading, health care and trades to business,
university studies, and industry training. Within these core areas,
North Island College concentrates its efforts on six directions:
1.
2.
3.
4.

What difference will it make?
We hope communities feel the biggest impact through our efforts in
developing relevant and responsive curriculum. With access to education and
training, local residents can pursue education, stay in their home communities,
and earn sufficient income to support themselves and their families. Furthermore,
we hope our strategic plan inspires new ideas and partnerships as we move into
its final years.

How can I find out more?
To review milestones of the past year, see page 13. For a copy
of the 2011-2015 Strategic Plan, visit www.nic.bc.ca/strategicplan.

NIC establishes new partnerships to serve unique student and community needs

Professional Potter
Advanced Diploma

If you’ve visited North Island College
campuses and communities over
the past year, chances are, you can
see tangible growth.
There are new First Nations
Gathering Places, a culinary kitchen,
and a trades training centre, all
physical signs of new programs or
better facilities for NIC students.
When you visit, you can also feel
the difference.
It lies in students and their abilities
to achieve their educational
dreams with less debt. It lies in
communities, where students
access new programs and get
their certification to meet local
industry needs. And, it lies in NIC’s
ability to adapt to changing social
and economic patterns, form
partnerships, and meet the
unique needs of students
and communities.

“We are working with partners
in so many different ways to
serve students and communities.”
Jan Lindsay, NIC President

“We are working with partners in
so many new and different ways,”
said NIC President Jan Lindsay.
“We’re building efficiencies and
developing processes that allow
us to respond much more quickly
when communities reach out and
ask what we can do.”
Here are just a few of the key
partnerships and programs
established in the past year.

Guaranteed UVic Admission

Tuition-free Skills Training

This year, North Island College
added guaranteed admission to
the University of Victoria (UVic) to
its growing list of degree pathways.

Degree completion, of course, is
not everyone’s goal. Many North
Island residents are looking for
shorter-duration skills training
and certification to increase their
employability and job security.

Like dual admission, guaranteed
admission gives UVic-bound
students exclusive ways to meet
their career goals faster, at a lower
cost, and with more security in
their choices.
Students with a C average in
eight or more eligible courses
are guaranteed their dream of
attending UVic.
“It’s great because it’s based on
my marks in college,” said NIC
student Andrew Green. “Some of
my high school grades could have
been better. Now I know I can still
work toward my goal.”
Military-focused Degree Paths
In March, North Island College
finalized its discussions with
the University of Manitoba, one
of Canada’s largest research
universities.

With the arrival of new
Employment Skills Access (ESA)
funding last year, NIC collaborated
quickly with local employers and
industry to identify key training
needs in the community and
deliver tuition-free programs for
eligible unemployed or low-skilled
residents.
Students earned recognized
credentials in Underground Mining,
Wildfire Occupational Skills,
Woodland Harvesting, or Integrated
Core Resources programs.

“All of our students will be fabulous
employees, and now they have the
training they need to get hired,” said
Sharon Korol, ESA coordinator.
Find out more at www.nic.bc.ca.

The new agreement, which is
specifically tailored to serve our
Canadian Forces community,
offers not only seamless degree
pathways, but also academic
credit for rank and militaryfocused advising services, which
make earning a degree faster and
more attainable.
“It’s incredible to have someone
who understands what a military
person is going through help them
with their education,” said 2nd Lt.
Kris Kaehler.

New Woodland Harvesting graduates
now qualify for local employment
in the forestry industry.

Have you always wanted to go to university? Are you looking to learn in a creative way? Interested in exploring design and art?
Discover our transfer plans and degree pathways in arts, sciences, fine arts, social work, criminology, and more. Call 1-800-715-0914.

Military-accredited programs
offer guaranteed careers for students
Canadian Forces paid education options now available through NIC
Leigh Walls knows hard work and
perseverance pay off.
In the last three years, the 35-year-old single
mother of two has faced personal challenges
and financial hurdles, but has refocused her
life, thanks in part to NIC’s military-accredited
programs at NIC’s Campbell River campus.
In 2010, Walls was out of work and needing stable
employment to support her young family.
A standard aptitude test at a Campbell River
employment centre suggested she might be
good at electrical trades or engineering, and she
soon discovered the military was willing to pay
students in accredited Industrial Automation
programs to work as naval technicians. NIC’s
Industrial Automation Technician program
in Campbell River was a perfect fit.
It is one of three accredited trades at NIC, including
Aircraft Structures Technician (AME-S) and
Professional Cook, which open new career pathways
for students interested in military careers.
Successful applicants earn free tuition and books,
full-time salaries, medical and dental benefits, and
paid vacations, in return for military service. To

qualify, however, Walls needed to register for
classes and pay tuition before being eligible
for military subsidized education. “I took the
chance,” she said. “I waited, did odd jobs on
weekends to put myself through school, and
received several scholarships and bursaries.”

Industrial Automation Technician
program graduate Leigh Walls is
working as a naval technician with
the Canadian Forces, after two
years in NIC’s Electronics Core and
Industrial Automation programs.

By the time she was accepted, she
gained new respect for her own abilities.
“I didn’t know I had it in me,” she said. “Now
that I’m on a military payroll, what I’ve gained
more than anything is a challenging career path
I love that supports my
family into the future.”
The Canadian Forces
Paid Education program
hires students from
qualified trades programs
annually, based on their
recruitment needs.

“What I’ve gained more than
anything is a challenging career
path I love that supports my family
into the future.”
Leigh Walls, Industrial Automation Graduate

“Accreditation really is a
building block for the military and the community,”
said Capt. DJ Trask, a military career counsellor with
the Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre in Victoria.
For more information, visit www.nic.bc.ca/trades.

North Island’s first
Red Seal chefs graduate
In 2012, NIC’s first Professional Cook 3 students completed the final
level of technical training needed to meet the Industry Training
Authority’s qualifications to work across Canada.
Together, eight students became the first chefs to complete their
culinary training on the North Island.
“This course gave me more respect, better wages and a promotion
to sous chef, or second in charge at Chances Casino,” said Kristy
Appleyard. “Having the program on the North Island definitely
made it affordable and possible for me to advance my career.”
For more information, visit www.nic.bc.ca/trades.

START AN
APPRENTICESHIP
Browse all of your options
at www.nic.bc.ca/trades

Do you want to expand your skills or start a trade? Want to enter a program with one of BC’s highest success rates?
Train now to become a carpenter, construction electrician, professional chef, heavy duty mechanic, plumber or welder. Call 1-800-715-0914.

C A M PCBAEML P
L BREILVLE R I V E R

A sense of place on campus
In May, NIC’s Campbell River campus echoed with songs,
dance, and prayers for the opening of NIC’s Campbell
River Gathering Place.
Carved from centuries-old cedars, the Gathering Place
acknowledges and honours First Nations students and
culture on campus.
“It’s a stunning example of our commitment to support and
to welcome our First Nations students and their families to
our campus,” said NIC President Jan Lindsay.
It will become a new home for campus ceremonies and
celebrations for years to come.

Master Carver Bill Henderson celebrates the Gathering Place official opening
at Campbell River campus with NIC President Jan Lindsay.

Committed to Excellence:
NIC’s first Applied Research Centre Opens
In 2011, the College completed the development work for a new Natural
Resource Education and Applied Research Centre in Campbell River.

GATEWAY TO WORK

With the hiring of manager Derek Marcoux in September 2012, the centre
is ready to support economic development across the North Island.

Connecting community partners
with students in Campbell River
As many of our Island economies are shifting from traditional
resource-based economies to knowledge-based or mixed
economies, so are the education needs throughout the region.
To strengthen our communities in changing times, we are
working closely with local industry, agencies, and businesses to
create training opportunities that will help residents support
themselves and their families through local jobs.

The opportunity to work with community members, local industry
and business on ideas of relevance to them, also enhances learning
opportunities for students and staff and builds on local expertise and
knowledge in our communities.
Whether it be investigating innovative products and their applications,
developing accessible natural resource programs, or finding new ways
to attract and retain a well-educated and skilled workforce in rural
communities, the centre is a significant part of our investment in North
Island people, industries, and communities.
“Working directly with industry, we will develop specific training programs
to serve the educational needs of both industry and our population,” said
NIC President Jan Lindsay. “One example is the potential development of an
Aquaculture Technician program in conjunction with industry professionals.”
With continued support of provincial and federal partners, North Island
College encourages unique learning and research.
For more information on the Natural Resource Education and Applied
Research Centre and how to get involved, visit www.nic.bc.ca/research.

Dr. Evelyn Voyageur, NIC’s Elder in Residence (fourth from right), celebrates with graduates
of the Health Care Assistant program offered in partnership with the Homalco First Nation.

Adapting health training
models to meet student needs
In 2011/12, NIC collaborated with First Nations Employment Society to create a successful new
education model that blends upgrading with core health courses for extraordinary results.
The model, which allows students to start relevant training earlier, was so well received it is
now being used in health and trades programs across the college region.

UVic Guaranteed Admission: For the first time,
students like Campbell River’s Jesse Spooner, a Storm
junior hockey player and future ophthalmologist,
can guarantee their admission to UVic while staying
connected to friends and activities at home.

“We started with nine students and we graduated nine,” said Jocelyne Van Neste-Kenny, NIC’s
Dean of the School of Health and Human Services. “One student, Amanda Vincent, even earned
the Dean’s pin last year for academic excellence. It’s success is based on our partnership with the
Homalco First Nation who identified the need for home and community care training and our
ability to adapt programming and work with interested students to meet their education needs.”
For more information, visit www.nic.bc.ca/health.

4

C O M O X VA L L E Y

VIBRANT
LEARNING COMMUNITY
Strategic direction: Student success
We will improve our ability to support the diverse needs of our students
and their engagement in learning.

A tale of two Emmas
Two students with different passions find the same NIC path leads to unexpected success
From the outside, Emma Dubé and Emma Twidale
couldn’t be more different.
Twidale, discovered her passion for social justice in
her mid 30’s and followed a less-traditional route to
post-secondary success.
Dubé, on the other hand, started college after high
school, and had the grades to attend any university
in Canada.
But over the past two years, both spent time and hours
finding their strengths at North Island College.
Twidale moved to the Comox Valley from Greater
Vancouver in the build-up to the 2010 Olympics,
looking for a better quality of life. After three years of
doing physical jobs – she found work as a skateboard
instructor at Courtenay’s LINC Youth Centre, and
discovered a new calling.
“At 35, I’ve done everything in my life but work in the
circus,” she said. “At the LINC, I found connecting and
engaging with youth really rewarding and I discovered
I’m good at it.”
A co-worker suggested Twidale take NIC’s Social Service
diploma, where she took on practicums in her field and
got involved with the Vancouver Island Community
Research Alliance’s Local Food Project, a research project
with five Island colleges and universities. Twidale
worked with fellow NIC student Julia Davis and the
K’ómoks First Nation to research past, present, and
future Indigenous food systems on the Island.
“The Social Services diploma got me started,”
she said. “By the beginning of my second year I
was working in the exact career I wanted.”

At NIC, Twidale won the Lt. Governor’s Silver Medal
for academic excellence and community contribution.
She’s now studying race, gender, sexuality, and
social justice at UBC, and is well on her way to a
Bachelor of Social Work, and
potentially a master’s degree.
“At NIC, you

“By completing my degree, I
broaden the choice of where
and how I want to work in the
future,” Twidale said. “I can
continue my work with women
and youth and I can really get
into how the mind works.”

get the opportunity
to get to know your instructors
and subject matter well. They
make it really easy to learn and
to want to learn here.”
Emma Dubé, NIC-UVic Dual Admission Student

For Dubé, a Royal Canadian
Army Cadet and winner of the Governor General’s
Bronze Academic Medal, NIC’s new Dual Admission
agreement with UVic meant learning at home,
without compromising her education.
“NIC was a great opportunity to stay within the
community, cut costs, and enjoy school,” said
Dubé, who received more than $23,000 in entrance
awards and scholarships from both institutions,
thanks to NIC ’s exclusive partnership with UVic.
She joins second year anthropology students in
Victoria this fall, more secure in her choices and ready
to follow up on her most interesting courses at NIC.
“It was totally worth it,” Dubé said. “At NIC you get
the opportunity to get to know instructors and
your subject material well,” she said. “They make
it really easy to learn and to want to learn here.”
For more information, visit www.nic.bc.ca/ut.

College welcomes over 100 international students
In 2011/12, the college hosted 116 students from 25 countries to its campuses,
a 10 per cent increase over the year before. International students contribute global
perspectives to NIC classrooms and $2.95 million to the local economy, according to the
2012 study on the current and potential economic impacts of international education.
Increased international interest also allows NIC to develop new programs and partnerships
for all students including NIC’s Post-degree diploma in Global Business Management and
Portland State University degree pathways.

5

SUPPORT YOUR
COMMUNITY
Browse all of your options
at www.nic.bc.ca/
communitycare

Interested in a new career in your community? Looking for a secure job with a future? Do you enjoy working with people?
Maybe a career in health care, human services, or early childhood education is right for you. Call 1-800-715-0914.

In February, the college hosted its second annual
High School Open House for Grade 11 and 12
students from Tahsis to Port Alberni.
The Comox Valley event was proud to host Sean
Aiken, who explored 52 careers in 52 weeks across
North America in his One Week Job Project.
Documented on Facebook and YouTube, Aiken’s
journey inspires students to explore their own
passions. His journey perfectly suited NIC’s
annual open house, where students meet
instructors, delve into hands-on exhibits and
labs designed to encourage students’ passions,
introduce new careers, and demonstrate what it’s
like to learn ceramics, graphic design, carpentry,
business, English, math, or biology at the postsecondary level all in one exhilarating day.

C O M O X VA L L E Y

High school students explore
their passions at college

900 high school students get a feel for college and over 50 future career paths
Writers, painters, activists, and a Nobel-Prize winning
scientist connect and engage communities
In 2011/12, NIC brought authors, scientists, and artists to NIC campuses for inspiring
discussions on everything from Global Warming to international aid.
From Nobel Prize-winning scientist, Dr. Andrew Weaver, First Nations poet Garry Thomas Morse,
plastics activist Taina Uitto, women’s health specialist Patricia Janssen, packed career fairs,
and green-tech forums, the community filled the Stan Hagen Theatre and poured into
venues eager to join the conversation, find new employment leads, or connect with artists
and writers in their community.
For more information on upcoming events, visit www.nic.bc.ca.

GATEWAY TO EDUCATION
Preparing Comox Valley students
for real-world success

NIC’s innovative web-based science
labs earn international funding

In today’s rapidly changing world, students need the latest skills and
knowledge to excel in their chosen field. With expanding facilities,
curriculum, and educational pathways in study areas from upgrading and
trades to university studies, marine training, and business, North Island
College students are well positioned for success. As educators, our hope is
to also give students something more, to empower and encourage them to
reach their potential, to make a difference in this world, and to leave the
college truly inspired.

Four years ago, NIC’s Albert Balbon (above) and Ron Evans
built prototypes for a Remote Web-Based Science Lab. Their
goal? To make university-level science labs more accessible to
hundreds of students throughout the college region.
This year, they shared their passion with international
science educators at a conference at the Comox Valley
campus. Their work received a $750,000 grant from Next
Generation Learning Challenges, allowing NIC to expand
with BC Campus, the Colorado Community College System,
and the Western Interstate College for Higher Education
to develop an international learning network.

Exclusive degree pathways
for Canada’s military
In March, NIC announced the creation of a long-awaited Military Student
Mobility agreement with the University of Manitoba, giving hundreds
of Canadian Forces members educational support and degree pathways
close to home.
Students can finish their degree faster with academic credit for rank,
knowing they have local learning support in the form of specially created
military advising positions.
“It means I have more options,” said Cpl. Russell Green, a 19 Wing Aviation
Technician taking business administration courses at NIC. “More options
are always better.”
The University of Manitoba is popular with Canadian Forces for their
extensive support for military members through online and distance
education. It also offers Canadian Forces members a reduced residency
requirement, which means only 12 course credits toward their degree
need to be from the University of Manitoba.
By guaranteeing eligible NIC courses transfer directly into the University
of Manitoba’s Bachelor of Arts and Integrated Studies degrees, NIC is
supporting the needs of one of the Comox Valley’s largest employers,
ensuring members and their families have easier access to the educational
pathways the Canadian Forces values so highly.
“The Canadian Forces fully endorses the concept of life-long learning,”
said 19 Wing Chief Warrant Officer David Bolster. “By taking courses that
Partners in success: Lisa Domae, NIC’s VP Student & Educational Services & Planning, lead to a diploma or degree, 19 Wing personnel are not only improving
with Lori Wallace, the University of Manitoba’s Dean of Extended Education,
themselves but making the Canadian Forces a more effective organization.”
Jan Lindsay, NIC President, and Col. Jim Benninger, 19 Wing Base Commander.

For more information, visit www.nic.bc.ca/ut.

6
7

PORT ALBERNI

BUILDING
BRIGHT FUTURES
Strategic direction: Active community partnerships
We will work with our communities as an active partner to increase opportunities for
involvement and participation, and for proactively sharing resources for mutual benefit.

Automotive students Thomas Pollard (left) and Jean-Luc David (right) learn a
certified trade and qualify for employment before graduating from high school.

The fast-growing secret to high school success
Dual credit programs/courses let students earn Grade 12 and college credit at the same time
Thomas Pollard is a student with a plan.
With one eye firmly set on engineering and a keen
interest in anything mechanical, the high school
student registered for NIC’s Automotive Service
Technician program while he was still in high school,
determined to learn the ins and outs of engine repair.
“Learning how to swing a wrench is part of plan A
but it’s also part of my plan B,” he said. “Just the fact
that I’m already in college, and that I have one year
of college behind me before I graduate from high
school, really builds my confidence and gives me a
sense of fulfillment I didn’t have before. I have a new
perspective on my future and what I want to do.”
The Dual Credit program is the result of five
active partnerships with Vancouver Island school
districts. Each partnership opens new education
pathways to high school students who access
college courses that meet their high school
graduation requirements and earn college credit.
In 2011, 219 NIC students participated in Dual Credit
across the region, 42 of them acquiring foundational

trades skills and the others studying applied
business technology, tourism, or university studies.
Trades graduates also receive credit for the first
level of apprenticeship technical training and a
time-credit towards their
required workplace hours
“Just the fact
in their trades certification.
The programs are adjusted
to meet high school
semester systems and
more importantly, classes
are tuition free, with
school districts and the
Industry Training Authority
providing support through
its ACE-IT programs.

that I’m already
in college, and that I have one
year of college behind me before
I graduate from high school, really
builds my confidence and gives
me a sense of fulfillment I didn’t
have before.”
Thomas Pollard, High School Dual Credit Student
Automotive Service Technician Foundation

“I never thought
someone would pay me
to go to school,” said Pollard. “ACE-IT covered
everything, it was really supportive.”

For more information, visit www.nic.bc.ca/dualcredit.

Community science celebration
attracts and inspires thousands
Who wouldn’t love science, Port Alberni style?
In February, NIC joined forces with Science World and MISTIC, the
Mid-Island Science Technology Innovation Council, to sponsor Port
Alberni’s Second Annual Community Science Celebration at the
Port Alberni Athletic Hall and NIC’s Port Alberni campus.
More than 2,700 residents, students, and science enthusiasts
showed up to see science in action and meet people from their
home communities who work with science every day.

7

EXPLORE
TRADES
Browse all of your options
at www.nic.bc.ca/trades

Do you need to get back into the workforce quickly? Curious about how things work? Want to turn your passion into a career?
Develop your skills in technology and trades. For example, you could learn to create fine furniture or become a chef. Call 1-800-715-0914.

C A M PPBOERLTL A
R LI V
BE R N I

Top educators join the team
NIC’s Stephen McIntosh and Guy Langlois bring top
joinery and green technology skills to NIC classrooms
in Port Alberni. McIntosh was Canada’s joinery chief
expert at the Worldskills Competition and Langlois
specializes in green building techniques.

Inspiring young imaginations: In February, Carpentry Foundation students designed, built,
and delivered a garden shed and playhouse to Maquinna Elementary School.

COLLABORATIVE THINKING
Working with community partners
to create new opportunities in Port Alberni
North Island College is well known as a place for learning and developing careers.
But there’s more. As a community resource, we are also focused on encouraging
education, enhancing facilities, developing custom training projects, and
expanding pathways throughout the education system. By sharing ideas and
working with community members, from students and staff to local industry and
business, we are expanding learning opportunities and enriching community life.

$1.35-million culinary
learning centre takes shape
In 2011, NIC received funding to build a $1.35
million culinary kitchen, featuring state-of-the-art
equipment at the Port Alberni campus.
Designed with students in mind, the kitchen
enables NIC to build on its existing Professional
Cook programs and develop a strong demand
for culinary arts training with a renewed focus
on Aboriginal and West Coast cooking.
“We want this to be very inspiring for our young
chefs,” said instructor David Lang. “Everything
will be incredibly current and up to date.”
Intended to resemble a classic French kitchen,
the facilities include banks of learning stations
for students and instructors, room for a
production line, a pastry area, and more.
The first intake of Professional Cook 1 program
students to enjoy the facilities started in September.
For more information, visit www.nic.bc.ca/trades.

New comprehensive training
for the next generation of nurses
At NIC, we know the importance of staying current with
changing health care practices.
That’s why when the College of Licensed Practical
Nurses of BC updated its licensing requirements, North
Island College adapted the scope of its Practical Nursing
diploma program to match.
Now, practical nursing students spend time throughout
the program on mental health, gerontology, pediatrics,
and key areas of practice, creating a more thorough
understanding of common health experiences before
they enter the workplace.
“The reality of the workplace is we were adding more
curriculum all the time,” said Laurie Bird, the Practical
Nursing Department Chair. “This model just adds
context and allows them to absorb their knowledge.”
Students also have more clinical and lab hours, and four
community-based practice experiences before they
graduate and write a national licensing exam.
“I’m learning so much more than I was before,” said
student Kaitlyn Rathbone. “By the time I got to my
patient care experience, I felt confident and prepared for
the work ahead.”
For more information, visit www.nic.bc.ca/health.

8

M O U N T WA D D I N G TO N

PUTTING NEW SKILLS TO WORK
Strategic direction: Responsive curriculum
We will develop dynamic and responsive curriculum and educational services
to attract, engage, and retain a diverse range of students to be successful
in a rapidly changing world.

Moses Kaberuka (left) and Patsy Cook (front row, left) with their instructors and fellow Practical Nurse Access
graduates are trained and ready to work in hospitals and health facilities in the Mount Waddington region.

Local, licensed, and employment ready
BC’s first Practical Nurse Access graduates credit staff and location for their success
When the Vancouver Island Health
Authority saw a need for more
licensed practical nurses on the
North Island in 2010, it came to NIC.
It wanted to know if the college
could work with existing
health care assistants, already
in the area, and upgrade their
skills in BC’s first Practical
Nurse Access program.

a class fixture. When housing
concerns made him question his
ability to stay in the program,
college staff worked with the
community to secure his success.
Moses now works as a licensed
practical nurse in Campbell River.

NIC responded with a new
program allowing health
care assistants to meet the
prerequisites and train for
a new career within record
time, and drew interested
candidates from across Canada.

Personal support and location
were key to graduates’ success.
Whether it be instructors who
worked around ferries and
transportation needs to provide
accessible math classes or
staff who helped students find
preceptorships as close as possible
to home, the program boasts a
100 per cent graduation rate.

Moses Kaberuka travelled from
Manitoba to Port Hardy with his
younger siblings after reading
about the program online. His
infectious smile soon became

All six health care assistants
who started the program in
2011, graduated in June 2012
ready to write the national
Licensed Practical Nurse exam.

“Having the program in Port Hardy,
really made it possible for me
to earn a living while going to
school and finally fulfill my goal
of becoming a nurse,”
said Patsy Cook,
“Having the program
who now works
at the Cormorant
in Port Hardy made it
Island Community
possible for me to earn
Health Centre.
“For my community,
having fully trained
nurses work and
live here means
consistent staffing
that doesn’t rely on
a ferry schedule.”

a
living while going to school
and finally fulfill my goal
of becoming a nurse.”

Patsy Cook,
2012 Practical Nurse Access Graduate

For more information, visit
www.nic.bc.ca/health.

NEW PROGRAMS
It’s back: NIC’s Health Care Assistant
program returns to Port Hardy
Get ready to become a health care assistant, with NIC’s 27-week program
in Port Hardy this year. Developed in partnership with the Vancouver
Island Health Authority, the program demonstrates how NIC works with
partners to address community needs. The program starts this fall with a
pre-health block of upgrading and health courses. For more information
or to register, call 250-949-7912 or visit
www.nic.bc.ca/mountwaddington.

9

THINK
HEALTH

Browse all of your options
at www.nic.bc.ca/health

Do you love helping others? Looking for a secure job that can take you anywhere? Come talk to us.
NIC offers a full range of health programs from Health Care Assistant, to Practical Nursing, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Call 1-800-715-0914.

M O U N T WA D D I N G TO N

Instructor Mark O’Hara with the graduating
class of Carpentry Access students in Fort
Rupert. The program was extended to give
students additional finishing skills.

Building communities
of skilled carpenters in Fort Rupert
Just over a year ago, Kelsy Holt got an unexpected
phone call.

RELEVANT EDUCATION
Supporting economic and community
well-being in the Mount Waddington Region
Education opens new doors for people and gives them options in life. This
is especially true in the North Island, where residents are developing new
skills locally to become the communities’ next nurses, carpenters, health care
assistants, and childcare providers. By working to deliver programs that meet
local demand, we are creating opportunities that allow people to qualify for
new careers in their home communities.

A’lumas Watłdama:
Aboriginal Authors
Series in Port Hardy
In 2011/12, NIC worked with
School District 85’s First Nations
program to bring Aboriginal
authors from Vancouver Island
and beyond to free public
readings in Port Hardy.
High school teachers introduced
samples of each authors’ work
to students several weeks before
the author’s reading, allowing
students time to study the
work and prepare their own
introductions. Authors also read
at a local café where community
members were able to attend
the free public readings.
Speakers included Philip Kevin
Paul (right), a poet of the WSÁNEĆ
Nation on the Saanich peninsula,
Cree/Métis storyteller Duncan
Mercredi, author Diane Jacobsen
of the nearby ‘Namgis First Nation,
and Kwakwaka’wakw author Garry
Thomas Morse. Presentations were
made possible with the support of
the First Nations Education Council,
NIC Aboriginal Education programs,
the NIC President’s Fund, and the
Canada Council for the Arts.

The mother and ferry worker had inquired about
carpentry training and been told the programs
were down Island, hundreds of kilometers
away from family and commitments.
Now months later, the college was calling back,
asking if she’d be interested in a new Carpentry
program in Fort Rupert, a Kwakiutl village just
outside of Port Hardy. She jumped at the chance.
“I was always interested in refinishing wood projects,”
Holt said. “But now I’ve really refined my skills to the
point where I’m very confident in everything I’m learning
and I’m looking forward to getting a job in my field.”
The Carpentry Access
program started in January,
bringing Aboriginal and
non-Aboriginal students
together for skills training.
Offered with support from
the provincial Labour Market
Agreement, the program
combines tuition-free math
and English with preapprentice trades training.
Students learn applied skills
earlier in the program than
more linear upgrading and
trades training models.

“It’s a great
opportunity
for First Nations
communities and
Aboriginal agencies
to partner with NIC,
to share resources,
and to strengthen
students’ skills.”
Jan Lindsay, NIC President

“It’s a great opportunity for First Nations communities
and Aboriginal agencies to partner with NIC, to share
resources, and to strengthen students’ skills for work
on the North Island,” said NIC President Jan Lindsay.
Already, the program has been extended by six
weeks to allow students to acquire additional
finishing skills, while they look for apprentice
positions at major North Island construction
projects, including wind farms, aquaculture
containment facilities, and hydro-electric projects.
Along the way the students have built
garden sheds, smoke houses and more for
elementary schools and area residents.
Many of the students had no construction
experience before the program began and are
finishing the program with employable skills.
“This is such a transformative experience for so
many of the students,” said instructor Mark
O’Hara. “They’re confident in their skills and that to
me, is pretty important. It’s why I do what I do.”
As for Kelsy, she’s already planning her next steps and
is working toward her Interprovincial (Red Seal) in
carpentry, and possibly becoming an instructor herself.
To learn more about local programs and courses,
visit www.nic.bc.ca/mountwaddington.

Working in the woods:
Relevant training for resource-rich communities
North Island College continued its commitment to occupational skills programing in
the Mount Waddington region, bringing government-funded Employment Skills Access
programs to the region.
The Woodland Harvesting certificate program prepared 13 long-term unemployed
students with in-demand workplace skills and practical training needed to work in today’s
forestry industry. The 26-week program is designed to give students an edge as they learn
a variety of hands-on skills, including road building and harvesting fundamentals. Based on
the program’s success, the tuition-free program was expanded into Port Alberni in May.
For more information, visit www.nic.bc.ca/trades.

10

IN COMMUNITY

LEARNING WHERE YOU LIVE
Strategic direction: Raising awareness
Working with our communities, we will explore new and innovative ways
to effectively promote post-secondary education throughout the region.

Bringing education closer to home
Developing educational partnerships and new learning pathways in Alert Bay
Returning to school to complete your
high school education is hard enough.
But when you have to wait for a ferry
and drive more than 80 kilometres
to get to a class and back, it requires
more than the usual amount of
determination.
NIC’s partnerships with First
Nations communities, however, put
instructors and resources within
reach for hundreds of students in
communities like Alert Bay.
NIC’s agreement with the ‘Namgis
First Nation allows students to take
Applied Business courses, Marine
Training and Small Vessel Operation,
and Adult Basic Education in Alert Bay.
Classes are offered in the
Community Learning Centre, jointly
operated by the ‘Namgis and the
Village of Alert Bay.
“Without having teaching support
and education from NIC, upgrading
simply wouldn’t happen for a lot
of students,” said Liz Robins, NIC’s
adult basic education instructor on
Cormorant Island.
“The cost and timing make it really
difficult,” said Robins. “With the
ferry and bus, it takes two hours to
get to Port Hardy. If they needed to
work part time, or had children in
day care, it just wouldn’t happen. But
here, anyone can make it to class five
minutes up the road.”
Courses are offered on a drop-in

Adult Basic Education students have access to computer labs and
full instructor support locally as they prepare to enter new careers.

basis, allowing students to work
at their own pace and access
instructional support at any time.
Motivated students such as Vance
Conway, get comfortable with postsecondary education and can move
through multiple math levels in as
little as six months.
Conway, now a Communications
Design program student at NIC’s
Comox Valley campus, took three
years of high school level math in
Alert Bay in six months last year.

Photo: Infilm

The ‘Namgis program is part of a
growing recognition of First Nations
culture and learning methods at
NIC, that has led to rewarding
education agreements with the
Huu-ay-aht First Nation near

Port Alberni, the Mowachaht
/ Muchalaht Nation near Gold
River and the ‘Namgis on
Cormorant Island.
“More and more First
Nations groups are
working with us to
coordinate and deliver
community-based
education,” said NIC
President Jan Lindsay.
“We’re following their
lead and finding new
ways to tailor programs
to meet cultural and
training needs.”

“If they needed to work part time,
or had children in day care, it
just wouldn’t happen. But here,
anyone can make it to class five
minutes up the road.”
Liz Robins, Adult Basic Education Instructor,
Cormorant Island Learning Centre

For more information on
NIC’s upgrading programs, visit
www.nic.bc.ca/upgrading.

In 2011/12, NIC increased the number of Marine Training
courses in remote regions, recruiting more experts to join the
instructional team and allowing fishing, tug, guiding and resort
operations in Ucluelet and Alert Bay, to meet federal standards.
“It will open up a lot of doors for me with the tug boat company I work for,” said Kevin Dean, who took NIC’s 60-Tonne
Master Limited and Small Vessel Operator Proficiency
courses through NIC’s contract training programs.
He now earns higher day rates at work, and his employer, Alert
Bay Towing, has more certainty in their operations on the water.
For more information, visit www.nic.bc.ca/trades.

11

START
UPGRADING
Browse all of your options
at www.nic.bc.ca/upgrading

Are you longing for a career change? Or looking to expand your employment options? Take the first step with us.
With upgrading and financial aid options, our student advisors can help you get started on a new path today. Call 1-800-715-0914.

In 2011, Bachelor of Science in Nursing students returned to Rivers
Inlet as part of a student-driven project that works with community
organizations to build awareness of local and global issues.
Students learn about remote and rural communities by
working with nurses and aid organizations first hand.

IN COMMUNITY

Learning from Rivers Inlet,
nursing students share their knowledge

Students on the field school experienced dramatic flooding
and vulnerability, built relationships with the Wuikinuxv
First Nation over an extended period, and challenged their
own perceptions of remote coastal communities.
They developed new understandings of Aboriginal health
and ways of knowing before returning to the Comox Valley
and sharing their experiences in community discussions.
Coordinated by Health and Human Services faculty and NIC’s
own Elder in Residence, Dr. Evelyn Voyageur, the program allows
NIC to create curriculum that better supports all learners.
For more information, visit www.nic.bc.ca/health.

ACCESSIBLE EDUCATION
Working with partners and industry
to bring relevant courses and programs
to all of our communities
No other college in British Columbia serves a region as vast and
diverse as North Island College. And for many remote areas, the time
and cost of travel present genuine barriers to education. That’s why
we’re working with First Nation and community partners to find new
ways to deliver training that is tailored to their specific needs, making
education accessible where it wouldn’t otherwise exist.

Starting University by Distance
West-Coast Style in Ucluelet
After 11 years working in the hotel and
restaurant industry in Ucluelet, a town
best known for its laid back surf and fishing
community, Eric Summers had enough.
Tired of watching young university students come
to town in the summer and leave for school in
the fall, the 33 year old walked into North Island
College’s centre to figure out what was next.
Summers completed a year and a half of highschool upgrading and university transfer classes
to prepare himself for a Bachelor of Education
program at UVic. And while he’s now moved
south for more university classes, he considers
his time at NIC an enormous accomplishment.
“In a town like Ucluelet, distance education
takes a certain amount of discipline,”
Summers said. “If you don’t really have a
clear goal, you can easily lose your path.”
In Ucluelet he met NIC instructor Bill Morrison,
who encouraged him to do more.
“He helped me make the most of my upgrading and,
when I was finished, he told me that I didn’t have to
move to take first-year courses,” Summers said.
“I could do it here and work full time. That was huge
for me because I could work at my own pace while
I avoided going into debt. If they had more secondyear courses in my specialty, I’d still be there.”
NIC students access university-level classes in
different ways. Whether it be distance classes,
through interactive television, or in person, students
can start university in remote communities.
Many of them credit instructors like
Morrison, for their ongoing support.
For more information, visit
www.nic.bc.ca/distancelearning.

“If it hadn’t been for
NIC and the immediate
support he received
in Ucluelet, his path
wouldn’t have worked
for him.”
Jan Lindsay, NIC President

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12

YEAR TWO
With special thanks to all of our partners—in community, education, and industry,
we have been able to achieve tremendous results. Your willingness to reach out and
collaborate has allowed us to expand programs and pathways in just two short years.
TOP 10 MILESTONES
NEW PROGRAMS

2

INTERNATIONAL GROWTH

Welcomed over 10 per cent more international students, increasing
diversity and bringing more than $2.95 million in economic
spending and jobs to North Island communities.

Province of BC

67%

GUARANTEED ADMISSION TO UVIC

Signed the NIC-UVic Guaranteed Admission for NIC Transfer
Students Agreement which guarantees students with at least 24
university transfer credits and a 2.0 GPA (C average) admission to
select UVic programs.

REVENUES
EXPENDITURES

$3

9 , 212 , 13

$3

8,9 6 8,2 8

APPLIED RESEARCH

5

BUILDING EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH EDUCATION

Signed a Health Education Partnership and Program Funding
Agreement with the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA)
in which VIHA committed $2.75 million in funding to support
healthcare education in rural areas.

Salaries & Benefits

6

SECOND GATHERING PLACE

NIC BOARD OF GOVERNORS

7
8
9
10

16%

Other

12%
5%

4

Developed a Natural Resource Education and Applied Research
Centre based in Campbell River to work with industry, First Nations
and educational partners including Marine Harvest, Creative
Salmon, Mainstream Canada, and Grieg BC Seafood.

Student Fees

1

3

Worked with industry and community to develop and launch five
new programs, including Exercise and Wellness, Metal Jewellery
Design, Activity Assistant, Professional Potter, and Aircraft
Sheet Metal Manufacturing for implementation in Fall 2012.

1

1

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, MARCH 31, 2012

70%

Contract
Services

7%

Amortization

23%

Other Expenses

Celebrated the opening of NIC’s new dedicated Gathering Place
to honour First Nations culture, learning, and friendships
in Campbell River.

Bruce Calder, Chair / Retired, Comox Valley

EXCLUSIVE PATHWAYS FOR CANADIAN FORCES

Jan Lindsay, President / North Island College

Announced a student mobility agreement between NIC and the
University of Manitoba providing Canadian Forces students with
academic credit for their military rank as well as guaranteed course
transfer to one of Canada’s largest research universities.
EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Recognized five instructors who received prestigious Excellence
Awards at the National Institute for Staff and Organization
Development’s international conference on teaching and
leadership in Texas.

NIC FOUNDATION
Investing in student success
In 2011/12, the NIC Foundation presented scholarships and bursaries
totalling more than $220,000 to 300 students from every region within the
college community to celebrate excellence and ease financial need.
Of special significance was Jack Farley’s donation of 19 Peter Robinson original
oil paintings chronicling the history of the Royal Navy in BC, which now proudly
hang at NIC’s new Trades Training Centre in the Comox Valley. Farley also donated
an additional 49 paintings and prints which will be auctioned off in support of
North Island College Fine Arts students. Special thanks go to our many sponsors,
donors, and community members for their generosity and investment.
Foundation board member Don Jones
presents the Alberni Valley Medical Society
bursary to Kelly Johnson, a Practical
Nursing student in Port Alberni.

13

For more about giving opportunities, visit www.nic.bc.ca/foundation.

LOOKING AHEAD
We have much to celebrate, but much more is on the horizon. With plans to further
expand and diversify programs, encourage participation, and enrich communities,
we are setting the stage for big opportunities and significant growth to come.

NIC President Jan Lindsay was one of few BC college presidents to join the Premier’s Trade
Mission to Asia in 2011. Lindsay and Wangrong Li, President of the Foundation College of China
Scholarship Council, agreed to support joint educational and intercultural development.

GET INVOLVED
We’re your
community college

Whether you need a training program for your
business or a great location for your community event,
we’re your community resource. Come talk to us.

Become a student

1-800-715-0914

questions@nic.bc.ca

Suggest a community partnership

250-334-5270

jan.lindsay@nic.bc.ca

Request training services

250-923-9723

tracy.parker@nic.bc.ca

Donate to the NIC Foundation

250-334-5271

susan.auchterlonie@nic.bc.ca

Join the Alumni Association

250-334-5000 ext. 4267

alumni@nic.bc.ca

Hire a Co-op student or graduate

250-334-5076

treena.nadon@nic.bc.ca

Get involved with applied research

250-923-9719

derek.marcoux@nic.bc.ca

Host an international student

250-334-5036

mark.herringer@nic.bc.ca

Join our Board of Governors

250-334-5275

rachel.reid@nic.bc.ca

Request a course in your community

250-334-5071

jan.carrie@nic.bc.ca

Host an event on campus

250-334-5271

susan.auchterlonie@nic.bc.ca

Ask any question

1-800-715-0914

questions@nic.bc.ca

!
W
E
N
EXPLORE PROGRAM VIDEOS:
www.youtube.com/NorthIslandCollege.

WANT
MORE INFO?
G AT E

WAY T
OL
NORT

H ISLA

EARN

ND CO

IN G A

LLEGE

ND EM

2012 –

P LOYM

2015 ED

UCATIO

ENT

N PLAN

Review the 2012-2015 Education Plan:
www.nic.bc.ca/educationplan.

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gratefully acknowledges the generous support
of our partners, sponsors, exhibitors and volunteers
in making our first annual